Bill > SB146

This bill prohibits individuals convicted of violent crimes from legally changing their names, effectively expanding an existing law that currently only prevents registered sex offenders from doing so. Specifically, the bill defines a "violent crime" using existing statutory language and creates a new section of law (941.2915) that makes it a Class H felony for anyone convicted of a violent crime, which includes serious offenses like homicide, battery, kidnapping, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault, to attempt to change their legal name. The bill amends multiple sections of Wisconsin statutes to reference this new prohibition, ensuring that name change restrictions apply across various legal contexts such as birth records, marriage records, divorce proceedings, and name change petitions. By creating this restriction, the bill aims to prevent individuals with a history of violent criminal behavior from potentially obscuring their identity or evading legal scrutiny through a name change. The proposed legislation also includes a provision clarifying that a person cannot be simultaneously convicted under this new statute and an existing statute that restricts name changes for registered sex offenders if the underlying incident is the same.

Justice

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb146